The fundamental idea undergirding the pervading ideology of Premier League exceptionalism is that the English league is uniquely competitive. All the manifestations of this exceptionalism—from the holding of the Premier League title above all other domestic league trophies and nearly on par with the European Cup, to the skepticism of any great player who has not proven his greatness in the gauntlet that is a damp and clammy midweek night in Stoke, to the devaluation of almost every achievement of a club or a player performing in the acquiescent competitions of mainland Europe—stem from the underlying notion that the Premier League is just different, because on any given Saturday, any of its 20 clubs could beat any other. The most remarkable aspect of Pep Guardiola’s tenure at Manchester City is how it has destroyed that notion. More than any trumped up ideas about philosophical revolution or tactical sophistication, what Guardiola has brought to the Premier League is the idea of perfection. As everyone who’s ever encountered Guardiola has said, the man is a true perfectionist. He wants to win every match by 10 goals with 99 percent possession and zero shots allowed, and he will work himself and his players…